Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 238,533 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 227,533 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 11,000 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 83

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,420 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Burkina Faso 602 km, Cote d'Ivoire 720 km, Togo 1,098 km

Coastline:
539 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation:
mean elevation: 190 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 885 m

Natural resources:
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use:
agricultural land: 69.1% arable land 20.7%; permanent crops 11.9%; permanent pasture 36.5%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 21.2%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 9.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
340 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations being on or near the Atlantic coast

Natural hazards:
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts

Environment - current issues:
recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake (manmade reservoir) by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi); the lake was created following the completion of the Akosombo Dam in 1965, which holds back the White Volta and Black Volta Rivers